Valentine's Day celebrated despite protests
by Chandrika ain/Lokendra Singh/Bilal Butt

     New Delhi/Jaipur/Srinagar: Flower sales reached an unprecedented high in New Delhi on Tuesday-- Valentines' Day-- as couples came out in large numbers to celebrate the most romantic day. Defying hard-liners warnings against getting too amorous over a "foreign" celebration that corrupts traditional values, couples were not in a mood to listen to the threats and said it was the best day to express their love to their beloved.

    In Jaipur, thousands of people flocked flower markets to buy flowers for their loved ones. Rajesh, a youngster, said: "It is a pretty good day and people should enjoy not only with girlfriends but with male friends also. Youngsters today know what is right and what is wrong so people should let them enjoy," he said. "I am not scared of anybody we are happy together and celebrated it throughout the day, "Rakshandha, a young girl said while enjoying the day with her boyfriend. With people ready to dig deep into their pockets business boomed for the small and big time florists. On the romantic day, young and old alike were seen thronging flower shops to lay their hands on a red rose which is the main flower and red being the colour of the day. Colonel R.S. Sisodiya, in his 60s, said gifting flower to his wife was the best way to express his love. "I am taking this flower for my wife and this shows I love my wife and we have been living together for 45 years. It is a small expression and token of love."

    Valentine's Day has become increasingly popular in the country in recent years, a trend promoted by retailers who do healthy business selling heart-shaped balloons and fluffy teddy bears. On the other side, groups like the Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena have been opposing the day, saying it is increasing mimicry of the West, especially by teenagers. Meanwhile, Muslim women burnt Valentine's Day cards in Srinagar to protest against what they say irreligious celebrations in the wake of the cartoon row. The members of Dukhtaran-E-Milat lashed out at people celebrating the day, saying it was an insult to their religion. "We want to appeal to our children that you stay away from this western culture. They have made our caricature of our Prophet and now we are celebrating this Valentine Day. It's a blot on our culture," Chief of Dukhtaran-E-Milat, Asiya Indrabi said. February 14, better known as Valentine's Day, which honours a third-century martyr, believed to be the patron saint of lovers around the world, and has gained much popularity with the young people as western lifestyle gains acceptance in big cities.

Protest against Valentine's Day celebrations

    Varanasi/Nagpur/Indore: Hardline Hindu groups held loud protests against Valentine's Day celebrations on Tuesday across India saying its was a 'foreign' festival that corrupted traditional values. In Varanasi, activists of the Shiv Sena took to the streets along with priests to conduct marriages of whosoever seen indulging in indecent activities. Cards were burnt and anti-Valentine-celebration slogans were raised to voice the protests. "It's celebrated in western countries and we do not support it. We are roaming the streets around with priests who will conduct marriages of whoever is found indulging in any indecent acts," said Gulshan Kapoor, a Shiv Sena activist. Saint Valentine's Day has become increasingly popular in India in recent years, a trend led by retailers who do healthy business selling heart-shaped balloons and fluffy teddy bears. But the growing popularity of the day has also sparked protests, which have sometimes turned violent.

   Elsewhere in Nagpur, police arrested rowdy activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal who whisked away couples from parks. "These activists were forcibly whisking people and so we have arrested them under section 68 and 69,"said Sanjeev Kumar Singhal, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Nagpur. In Indore, effigies were burnt to protest against the celebrations. On Monday, dozens of sword-wielding activists used loudspeakers in Bhopal to ask couples to stay indoors on Tuesday. On Sunday, in Mumbai, activists of the Shiv Sena, vandalised a gift shop and set fire to bundles of cards in a warning to shop owners and young lovers, a police official said. Groups like the Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena are part of a growing tribe of cultural vigilantes opposed to what they see as increasing mimicry of the West, especially by teenagers. Such groups have in the past stopped the screening of controversial films dealing with homosexuality and the plight of widows forced into prostitution, saying they denigrated India's ancient traditions. .

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